John Ternus to lead Apple into the age of AI

John Ternus assumes the role of Apple's chief executive on Tuesday, entering a company that dominates the smartphone market but lags behind competitors in artificial intelligence. One of Ternus' primary challenges is balancing Apple's reliance on China while addressing intense political pressure from the White House. This marks the end of Tim Cook's 15-year tenure, as the veteran operations specialist who built Apple's supply chain is replaced by the hardware engineer who shaped its product lineup.

Ternus, 51, has been with Apple since 2001, working his way up to senior vice president of hardware engineering. He leads the engineering teams behind Apple's entire product range, including the highly profitable iPhones. With just a week to settle in, Ternus faces the daunting task of defining the AI chapter for Apple, particularly at an upcoming iPhone event on September 9 where a foldable handset is expected to be unveiled.

Tim Cook, known for his adept handling of geopolitics, will transition to the role of executive chairman, focusing on engaging policymakers globally. Analysts predict that Ternus' hardware expertise will be crucial as consumers continue to prioritize hardware in their technology purchases.